Servicing of automotive vehicles typically requires periodic replacement of the coolant in the cooling system for the vehicle""s engine. Fluid transfer machines such as, for example, illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,782,689; 4,888,980; 5,573,045; 5,615,716; 6,135,136; 6,152,193; 6,161,566; and 6,213,175B1, are sometimes used to transfer the used coolant to a storage vessel while replacing this used coolant with new coolant. Many coolant transfer machines employ a system relying on the vehicle""s engine to provide the power to effect the coolant transfer. In some instances this limits the speed at which the transfer can be accomplished. Other coolant transfer machines shut the engine off and employ a different system relying on external means for providing the power to transfer coolant.
This invention has several features. Without limiting the scope of this invention as expressed by the claims that follow, its more prominent features will now be discussed briefly. After considering this discussion, and particularly after reading the section entitled, xe2x80x9cDETAILED DESCRIPTION,xe2x80x9d one will understand how the features of this invention provide its benefits, which include, but are not limited to, rapid transfer of coolant, a hybrid system that allows the user to select between two different systems the one best suited for the vehicle being serviced, avoiding creating xe2x80x9chot spotsxe2x80x9d in the engine""s cooling system, and economies in that the hybrid system is contained within a single housing and shares common components.
In accordance with this invention, coolant is transferred to and from an automotive engine having a radiator in communication with the engine using a machine that carries a new fluid container that holds new coolant and a used fluid container that holds used coolant from the engine. The first feature of the coolant transfer machine of this invention is that it includes two fluid transfer systems: A first fluid transfer system that sequentially first removes at least a substantial portion of used coolant from the engine and collects in the used fluid container the used coolant as the used coolant is being removed and then replaces the removed used coolant with new coolant from the new fluid container. And a second fluid transfer system that simultaneously displaces at least a substantial portion of used coolant in the engine with new coolant from the new fluid container and collects the displaced used coolant in the used fluid container. The engine is not operational while the first fluid transfer system is transferring coolant and the engine is operational while the second fluid transfer system is transferring coolant. A manually operable switch is used to select the fluid transfer system to be used based on the type of service to be provided: Namely, a quick service where the first fluid transfer system is typically used, or more complete service that requires more time where the second fluid transfer system is typically used, or a service that depends on the type of individual engine being serviced, where either the first or second fluid transfer system may be used.
Optionally, the second fluid transfer system includes a closed loop circuit that recycles fluid between the radiator and engine rather than transferring used fluid from the engine to the used fluid container and new fluid from the new fluid container to the radiator. The containers each include a sensor. The sensor in the new fluid container initiates the closed loop circuit when the sensor detects that the new fluid container is empty or near empty. The sensor in the used fluid container initiates the closed loop circuit when the sensor detects that the used fluid container is full or near full.
The second feature of this invention is that the first fluid transfer system includes a first adapter that is first manually inserted into an opening in the radiator upon removal of a radiator cap covering this opening. This first adapter may be in the form of a plug that is inserted into the opening. The adapter is then manually connected to the used fluid container to establish communication between the radiator and the used fluid container to transfer the used coolant from the engine to the used fluid container via the radiator. After withdrawing used coolant from the radiator, the first adapter is manually connected to the new fluid container to establish communication between the radiator and the new fluid container to transfer new coolant to the engine via the radiator. In an alternate embodiment of the first fluid transfer system, the engine is placed in communication with the containers via a connector attached to a radiator over flow member. A first pump is manually placed in communication with the used fluid container and the radiator to pump the used coolant from the engine through the radiator and into the used fluid container to create a reduced pressure in the engine. Upon establishing communication between the new fluid container and the radiator, the reduced pressure in the engine sucks new fluid into the radiator to replace the removed used coolant with new coolant.
The third feature of this invention is that the second fluid transfer system includes a pair of adapters. The coolant in the engine flows from the engine into the radiator through a manual detachable member such as, for example, a rubber tube. Upon manually detaching the detachable member, the pair of adapters is attached to provide access of coolant to the radiator and the engine. One adapter establishes communication with the new fluid container to transfer new coolant to the engine via the radiator. The other adapter establishes communication with the used fluid container to collect used coolant being displaced by the new coolant from the new fluid container.
The fourth feature of this invention is the use of hoses to establish communication between the containers and the engine through the adapters or the connector attached to the radiator over flow member. A drain hose is placed in communication with the used fluid container to transfer the used coolant from the engine to the used fluid container. And a supply hose is placed in communication with the new fluid container to transfer new coolant to the engine after transfer of the substantial portion of the used coolant from the engine. The hoses are manually connected and disconnected to individual adapters or the connector attached to a radiator over flow member depending on which fluid transfer system is being used. These hoses, adapters, and connector attached to the radiator over flow member employ conventional quick connect-disconnect connectors. These conventional quick connect-disconnect connectors each have one coupling component attached to a hose and another coupling component attached to an adapter or the connector for the radiator over flow member. These coupling components interact very quickly and have interlocking elements that, when the coupling components are connected or disconnected, maintain substantially the reduced pressure in the engine, preventing air at atmospheric pressure from entering the radiator, engine or either fluid transfer system.
The fifth feature of this invention is that the machine has a housing with a control panel and a base that supports the new fluid container and the used fluid container. The containers are free-standing and capable of being individually removed from the base and replaced. The first and second fluid transfer systems are within this housing and the drain hose, supply hose, the first pump, and a second pump along the supply hose are common components of both systems. The first pump is operated only when the first fluid transfer system is operational and second pump is operated only when the second fluid transfer system is operational.
The sixth feature of this invention is that the first and second fluid transfer systems have a common waste removal system operable when said first and second fluid transfer systems are disconnected from the engine. This common waste removal system transfers to a waste storage container used coolant in the used fluid container.
This invention also includes a method of transferring coolant to and from an automotive engine having an engine cooling system including a radiator. This method includes the steps of:
(a) providing a new fluid container holding new coolant and a used fluid container for holding used coolant from the engine,
(b) providing a first fluid transfer system that sequentially first removes at least a substantial portion of used coolant from the engine and collects in a used fluid container the used coolant as said used coolant is being removed and then replaces said removed used coolant with new coolant from a new fluid container, said engine being non-operational when coolant is being transferred,
(c) providing a second fluid transfer system that simultaneously displaces at least a substantial portion of used coolant in the engine with new coolant from the new fluid container and collects the displaced used coolant in the used fluid container, said engine being operational when coolant is being transferred, and
(d) selecting one of said fluid transfer systems to transfer coolant based on the type of service to be provided.